- Do not launch in wind speeds in excess of 5mph - Check wind direction before launch.

Cumbria’s Assistant Chief Fire Officer Adrian Buckle said: “Paper lanterns can pose a real fire risk as once they’re launched the direction they head in can’t be controlled and when they land there’s no guarantee the fuel will be fully extinguished and cooled.

“In a rural county like Cumbria they can be a particular danger to livestock and farmland so anybody using them needs to be fully aware of the risks and take precautions to minimise the dangers.”

Ipsoregulated

This website and associated newspapers adhere to the Independent Press Standards Organisation's Editors' Code of Practice. If you have a complaint about the editorial content which relates to inaccuracy or intrusion, then please contact the editor here. If you are dissatisfied with the response provided you can contact IPSO here